Hole position gauging means



March 27, 1962 J. 5. PAPPS ETAL 3,026,621

HOLE POSITION GAUGING MEANS Original Filed July 2, 1958 United StatesPatent 3,026,621 HOLE POSITION GAUGING MEANS Joseph S. Papps, 15371Ferguson, Detroit, Mich, and Robert J. Spencer, 6232 Oakman, Dearborn,Mich. Continuation of application Ser. No. 746,193, July 2, 1958. Thisapplication Feb. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 9,971 1 Claim. (Cl. 33-174) Thisapplication is a continuation of our copending application Serial No.746,193, filed July 2, 1958, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to gauging accessories adapted to beinserted in pre-formed holes of different diameters and to be used inconjunction with conventional gauging devices to facilitate and increasethe accuracy and speed of measuring the locations of the hole centerswith respect to each other and/or with respect to other referencepoints.

My improved gauging accessories are constructed in sets consisting of aplurality of individual units. Each unit constitutes a locating andabutment device, or locator, having a hole-engaging portion whichconstitutes a support for the device when in use. Each such supportingportion is proportioned differently from the corresponding supportingportions of the other locators of the set. Each locator also has agauging abutment stem portion, formed in accurately coaxial relationwith its supporting portion. All of the stem portions of all of thelocators are alike and standardized in their dimensioning. Thesupporting portions are proportioned for a free and accurate fit inholes of varying sizes, while the gauging stem portions furnish aprecise dimension transverse to the axis of concentricity and which isthe same for all of the locator units. Each locator is also providedwith a standardized intermediate portion which limits the insertion ofthe device in the hole in the workpiece, thereby accurately locating thegauging stem section.

The intermediate portion constitutes a convenient handle for insertionand removal of the device, and is also accurately proportioned to astandardized thickness, and so related to the stem that a standardizedsocketed balllike accessory may be fitted downwardly over the stem andbear against the surface of such intermediate portion. Such accessoryball, when so placed upon the stem, is accurately positioned both as toits height above the work, and as to its center, which then is locatedon the common axis of the stem and supporting portion of the locatingunit. Such accessory balls can accordingly be used upon all of thelocators, despite the differences in the supporting portions of thelatter.

Some of the supporting portions are provided with threads, to adapt themfor insertion in internally threaded holes in accurate coaxial relationthereto, while other supporting portions, of difierent locator units,are provided with smooth cylindrical supporting portions for insertionin drilled and bored holes and the like. The positioning of theintermediate portions and locating stem portions are standardized andrigidly accurately controlled, however, by the positioning, dimensioningand relationship of such intermediate and stem portions, which, in allunits, are related in like fashion to the axis of the supportingportion. With my improved locators, therefore, it is possible to quicklyand accurately determine the locations of holes of different sizes, andby the use of the standardized accessory balls, this may be effectivelydone even when the axes of the holes are not parallel to one another.Further, in view of the standardized dimensioning of the intermediateportion, stem portion and accessory balls in the axial direction,measurements may be accurately made in an axial direction, includingdeterminations as to the relative heights and distances between3,026,621 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 surfaces of ditferent elevations inwhich holes have been formed.

When the accessory balls are not used, rapid gauging oi the positioningof a plurality of holes of diiferent types and diameters can be made ina single gauging operation, by means of a plate-type perforated go-no gogauge. With the use of my improved locators, having standardized stemportions, the work may be quickly gauged by inserting one of my locatorsin each hole of the workpiece. A plate-type go-no go gauge is providedwith a plurality of holes of the same diameter as the standard stemdiameter, accurately located in the gauge in the desired positioning ofthe holes. The plate will then readily slip down over all of the stems,if the holes in the workpiece are in fact properly located with respectto one another, while if any single hole is out of position, the gaugewill not fit the stems. Thus a determination can be made instantly as towhether the holes are in the proper relative positioning.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent upon consideration of the present disclosure in its entirety.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of one of my locating units having athreaded hole-engaging supporting portion;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of a workpiece showing two of mylocators having supporting portions of different sizes andcharacteristics installed therein, ready for a gauging operation; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating an accessory ballinstalled upon the locator.

Referring now to the drawing:

Each locator unit has a hole-engaging supporting portion 10, a gaugingstem 11, and an enlarged intermediate portion 12. The supporting portion10 and gauging stem 11 are formed in accurately coaxial relation, thegauging stem 11 preferably having a cylindrical surface and a preciselyheld diameter which is the same for all locators.

The diameter of the hole engaging portion 10 is determined by that ofthe hole to be engaged, and this hole engaging portion may be formedwith threads 14 corresponding to the threads 16 of a hole, or with asubstantially cylindrical portion, as 18, preferably having a slighttaper for a portion of its length, as shown, for engaging the internaldiameter 20 of a plain hole. In either case the supporting portion isdimensioned for free but accurate fitting engagement in a hole so thatthe locator may be easily inserted and removed. Accurate centering inthe hole is insured by the tapered shape of the portion 18, or by theengagement of the threads 14 and 16, in combination with the engagementof a shoulder 22 on the locator with the surface 24 surrounding thehole. Shoulder 22 is a part of the intermediate portion 12 and is formedprecisely at right angles to the axis of the locator.

The intermediate portion 12 thus acts as an element of a means forcentering the locator in a hole and also provides a means for actuatingthe locator for inserting and withdrawing the locator from a hole to bechecked. This portion includes knurling 25, and is of accuratelystandardized thickness in an axial direction, for another purpose, whichwill presently be explained.

FIG. 3 illustrates an auxiliary ball member for use when measurementsmust be taken at an angle other than normal to the hole axis. The ballincludes a radial cylindrical socket 26 having a length in excess of thelength of the stem 11 and a diameter which is held for preciseoverengagement upon the stem 11, as shown. A spherical gauging surface28 is formed on a center which lies on the longitudinal axis of thesocket 26 and the location of this center is precisely held relative tothe end surface 30 of the ball member. This end surface is formed atright angles to the longitudinal axis of the socket and engages theouter shoulder 32 of the intermediate locator portion 12. Shoulder 32 isformed at right angles to the locator axis and at a precisely helddistance from the shoulder 22.

The outer shoulder 32, together with its dimensioning relative to thelocating shoulder 22 and the precise location of the center of thespherical gauging surface 28, form a means for locating the sphericalcenter relative to the surface surrounding the hole to be checked andfor locating the spherical center axially of the hole to be checked.Dimensions can therefore be taken at other than a right angle to thehole axis with complete accuracy, as, for example, in checking thedistances between holes and surfaces that are not parallel to oneanother, and in determining the diiferences in the elevations ofsurfaces. When the ball is used, its surface furnishes an abutment fromwhich, by conventional gauging and measuring means, the datum pointrepresented by the center of the ball can easily be located with respectto the other positions, while without the ball, the stems furnish datumabutments for transverse measurements.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the inventiondisclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, itwill be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification,variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fairmeaning of the subjoined claim.

What is claimed is:

Means for facilitating the gauging of the axial spacing between aplurality of round holes of different sizes in a workpiece or the like,comprising a plurality of locating members, one for each hole, eachmember having a generally cylindrical supporting portion at one end, thecorresponding supporting portions of different members being ofdifferent diameters to fit such different sized holes, each of saidmembers having at its opposite end a single cylindrical datum abutmentstem portion, all of said abutment stem portions being of the samelength and diameter and coaxial with the supporting portion of themember, a

combined shoulder and gripping portion on each of said members locatedbetween and of greater diameter than the two previously mentionedportions, all of said combined shoulder and gripping portions being ofthe same thickness measured along the common axis of said two mentionedportions, and an accessory abutment element having a spherical surfaceportion and an open end, a substantially cylindrical socket thereinradial to said spherical surface portion and proportioned to overfitaccurately upon the cylindrical surface of said stem portions, butdeeper than the length of said stern portions, whereby said element maybe fitted on the stem portion of one of said members with the center ofits spherical surface located on said common axis of the member, saidaccessory element having a shoulder portion at the open end of thesocket located at a prefixed distance from said center and adapted toseat against said combined shoulder and gripping portion of such member,to thereby coact with said combined shoulder and gripping portion tolocate said center at a predetermined distance from a work surface areasurrounding a hole in which the member is fitted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,419,134 Hall Apr. 15, 1947 2,710,45 r Kershaw June 14, 1955 FOREIGNPATENTS 573,748 Germany June 4, 1931 728,426 England Apr. 20, 1955 OTHERREFERENCES American Machinist, article by Belbes, p. 858, Sept. .22,1937.

Starrett Catalog No. 25, p. 280, received May 10, 1937. (Copy in Div.66.)

